Can I work on a tourist visa?
No - a tourist visa does not permit work. Learn what a tourist visa allows, why working on one is illegal, and what visa you need to work or work remotely abroad.
Updated
Quick answer: No. A tourist visa does not allow you to work. Working on a tourist visa is illegal in virtually every country and can result in deportation, fines, and future visa bans. If you need to work abroad, you need a work visa or permit.
What a tourist visa allows
A tourist visa (also called a visitor visa) permits you to enter a country temporarily for leisure, sightseeing, or visiting family or friends. Some countries also allow a short recreational course, but the US, for example, does not allow study for credit on a visitor visa. It does not authorize any form of paid employment within the destination country.
Why you cannot work on a tourist visa
Immigration law in almost every country separates visitor status from worker status. Working without authorization takes employment from local workers and bypasses tax and labor protections. Authorities can detect unauthorized work through employer records, banking activity, and border checks.
If caught working on a tourist visa, you may face immediate deportation, a fine, a ban from re-entering the country (often 3-10 years), and complications with future visa applications in other countries.
What about remote work on a tourist visa?
Working remotely for a foreign employer while traveling on a tourist visa is a grey area in many countries. Some governments tolerate it; others enforce strict rules. If you plan to work remotely for extended periods, the safest option is a dedicated digital nomad visa.
Countries with official digital nomad visas include Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Costa Rica, Bali (Indonesia), and Thailand. Each has different income requirements and application processes.
What visa do you need to work legally abroad?
If you want to take paid employment in another country, you need a work visa or work permit issued by that country. Requirements vary widely - most countries require a job offer from a local employer, and some require the employer to prove no local candidate was available first.
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Working on a Tourist Visa - FAQ
No. The US State Department says people on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa are not permitted to accept employment or work in the United States, and paid performances are excluded too. Allowed activities include tourism, visiting friends and family, medical treatment and short recreational courses. To work, you need a work visa, which usually starts with a US employer filing a petition.
You break the terms of your visitor status, which is illegal in the US as in virtually every other country. Consequences can include deportation, a fine, a ban on returning that can last years, and trouble with future visa applications, including to other countries. Authorities can find unauthorised work through employer records, bank activity and border checks.
Virtually none, if you mean a local job: a tourist visa does not allow paid employment almost anywhere. Working remotely for a foreign employer while visiting is a grey area that some governments tolerate and others enforce strictly. If you plan to work remotely for a long stretch, the safest route is a dedicated digital nomad visa.
Tourist and visitor visas generally do not, and neither does visa-free entry with a travel authorisation such as the US ESTA, which covers tourism and business visits only. In the US, the B-1/B-2 visitor visa specifically excludes employment. To work legally you need a work visa or permit from the destination country, which usually requires a job offer from a local employer.
It is a visa for people who work remotely for an employer or clients outside the country while living there. Unlike a tourist visa, it lets you stay longer and work legally for foreign clients, commonly for a year and renewable in many schemes. Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Costa Rica, Indonesia and Thailand offer one, each with its own income requirements.